This case study looks at the way in which the Plansee Group in Austria has sought to ensure a ‘soft landing’ for employees affected by the global economic downturn. Having seen a collapse in demand in 2008, primarily in the parts of its business supplying metal products to the ailing vehicle...

The EU emerged from recession in the third quarter of 2009 but growth remains anaemic ( 0.3%, EU27) and well below trend rates. Unemployment notably continues to rise and its pace of increase has accelerated in the most recent quarter to reach the highest levels in over a decade (9.5%, EU27)....

Though no longer in recession, the EU economy remains fragile, with growth well below trend rates. Unemployment continues to rise, though at a slowing pace (it stood at 9.6% in the EU27 in February 2010). The first issue for 2010 includes: current macroeconomic trends and prospects; an overview...

Europe continues to show signs of a tentative recovery with marginally positive growth and other economic indicators stabilising. There are however persistent concerns over levels of public debt and, to a lesser extent, over the stability of the euro. The second issue for 2010 includes: current...

The pace of recovery following the 2008–9 economic crisis has picked up somewhat throughout 2010 with the EU forecast to register 1.7% growth in 2010. Uncertainty however persists on a number of fronts. Fears of a double dip recession in the US economy have been reinforced by recent weak...

This Yearbook sets out to distil Eurofound’s key findings during 2009. The first to be published as part of Eurofound’s four-year work programme ‘Better work, better life’, the 2009 Yearbook can deliver only a partial picture of Eurofound’s research findings, given the breadth of the...

This is the annual activity report of the Authorising Officer for the year 2009. The impact of the recession dominated Eurofound’s research across its various areas of expertise: working conditions, industrial relations, living conditions and anticipation and management of industrial change.